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I think what irks a lot of USMNT fans myself included is that the U.S. will play really good at certain times in games, and then they drop off at other times during a match. I have yet to see a full 90 minutes of a good balanced attack /defend soccer from the USMNT in a single game regardless of the opponent.
A good win nonetheless though.
I’m irked because USMNT only has 2 proven attacking threats. (Altidore & Dempsey) Altidore was 19 when he scored that goal, he has been hands down the best target striker since McBride. I feel Altidore is not given enough credit for his play. Fans eagerly dismiss him, even though he makes other around him better and is only 22.
Altidore should become the measuring stick for homegrown MLS USMNT players. Altidore is why Brek Shea or other MLS prospects shouldn’t be on the USMNT A squad. Nearly all attacking USMNT players should be transferred out of the MLS by age 22.
I believe since 2006 Altidore & M.Bradley are the only 2 young MLS grown players worth noting.
I agree that Altidore gets a lot of unwarranted criticism. Altidore has been an integral part of the national team for years now and has scored some vital goals. I think a lot of fans focus on one game or even one play too often. Also, some people get frustrated that we don’t have a Messi or Ronaldo and they take it out on Altidore because they were expecting him to be “The One”.
Just to add to your list of MLS transfers, Brad Guzan hasn’t gotten much playing time, but when he does he’s been pretty good and 27 isn’t old for a goalkeeper. MLS has to think of the league first. It’s not really their responsibility to make sure the US National Team prospers or that players develop. However, the better the talent level gets in MLS the better the US team will get. I’ve noticed that MLS teams are deeper this year. It might not be the highest quality, but no one has been as woeful as New England last year and the subs coming in have been holding their own. I think that the best players in MLS will continue to be sold, but not cheaply and that the league will continue to grow. I think MLS has generally made the right decisions as far as growing the league is concerned.
and the starting XI never played together ever again (since Davies, Clark, and Demerit are effectively done with the Nats) after this. Mikey was suspended for the final, Ching started for Jozy at Azteca (without Jozy replacing Davies later), there were several changes (Holden, Casey, Bornstein) at Honduras, and then Davies got in that car in Washington…
@Ian that’s not necessarily how it works. MLS tends to stunt development with the way they do things, and leagues dont always rep the national team. Look at Eredivisie vs Holland and EPL vs England. Yeah the Dutch had a bad Euro but they had a great 2010 World Cup. England still hasnt lived up the the level of its league and this is because the league fails to support the national team. U wanna know why Mexico is doing so well, cause they are willing to shoot themselves so that their national team does well. Look at Chicharito and Chivas, they sold him to Man U knowing that Chivas wont be as strong as they would be with Chicharito, but guess what? National team first and Mexico is benefiting from it.
MLS is a new league and sometimes they have to make decisions that might negatively impact a player’s development for the sake of the league’s growth and development. The Eredivisie develops talent and once the big boys come shopping they make a substantial profit selling their best players (usually Dutch). MLS does not produce that quantity of talent yet, but the quality talent they do produce they expect to be well compensated for (just like the Eredivisie). Many of the Dutch exports from the Eredivisie play for the national team and many of the American exports from MLS play for the national team. It’s just the quantity that differs and that’s because the MLS is not at the same level as the Eredivisie yet.
As far as the EPL is concerned, I think it’s very easy to argue that their national team exceeds what many people would expect from a country that size, primarily because their league plays at such a high level. If you really think about it England shouldn’t do as well as they do based on their population size. However, because their players compete in one of the best leagues in the world and against world class players on a regular basis they fair pretty well in international competitions.
I’m not really familiar with the Chicharito scenario (contract, games played, goals scored) but 6 million pounds for a young player who was untested in Europe must have sounded like a good offer to the Chivas front office (Altidore moved for 7.5 million pounds). Prior to Chicharito moving to Manchester there weren’t many Mexicans playing “Over There” and their national team has been performing well for decades. Even after Chicharito moved there hasn’t been a flood of Mexicans to Europe. Many of them still play in Mexico. I’d be curious to know what percentage of the Mexican National Team is domestically based compared to the US team’s. The US team generally has only 3-5 players from MLS now and 1 of them is usually Donovan.
MLS is trying to become a world class league and that will most definitely help the US National Team. It’s going to take time and it may hinder some players now which means the national team is hindered too, but in the long run it will end up being a huge boost to the US team. Right now they are a mid-tier, feeder league, but they expect to be paid market value for the skilled players the produce. If they become a top league (I think it’ll happen, but I don’t really have a guess as to when) there will be fewer and fewer Americans “Over There” just like there are very few Englishmen and Mexicans playing in foreign leagues. They really have to balance who they can afford to sell and who they need to keep in order for the league to continue growing and for the level of play to keep improving.
I do not see how the MLS is hindering the USMNT.
The MLS isn’t really producing any help for the USMNT, but the USMNT is doing fine without MLS prospects. Top young prospects are by-passing the MLS going directly to Scandinavian leagues, or top league youth systems.
Other then CBs & Gks almost all new USMNT talent never played in the MLS.
I hope the MLS continues to grow, but I don’t see it helping produce talent for the 2014 WC, other then CBs like John, Cameron, & Omar. (who all need transfers out of the MLS)
@Gregory Let’s take a guy like Gonzalez, good young prospect. If he goes to Nuremberg or something and plays, he gets a lot better. But MLS has a habit of saying no to any offers for a guy like Gonzalez because if he leaves, LA goes to hell, like what’s happenning right now. Gonzalez will have to stay during his entire 4/5 year contract (it’s at least 4 years cause MLS clubs dont offer young players any lower than 4). After those 4 years, Gonzalez might have already peaked and lowered like what happenned to Kljiestan, John, and Twellman. The offers would decrease in number and then he would have a harder time going to Europe than had he gone in the middle of those 4 years. Players tend to get worse after they peak because MLS isnt at a high level so when they get good enough, they actually get less sharp unless they go to a higher level. It’s akin to an 11th grader taking an AP class rather than a normal or being held back despite being an A student so he could make his 10th grade class look good.
I think America struggles to have success in the sport because we don’t have enough guys with the European mindset or taking a dive at the slightest contact. It changes the rhythm of the game and FIFA officials are not sympathetic to US players. I remember USA vs Italy in 2006 with the Azzurri being crippled by the slightest contact while McBride gets his face busted open and just walks it off. Team USA still got a bunch of unwarranted cards in that game. I’m not saying it’s the only reason why we’re not a dominant force in the sport internationally but it’s something that American (as well as many others) fans don’t like and it keeps the sport from being as popular here. More fan support = more great athletes dreaming of making it big as a soccer star in the US